Prequal of Fable
by EquinoxOfficer
Summary: This is a prequal to the XBox game Fable, long before the Hero starts hisrntraining at the guild with stories of existing heros such as Scarlet Robe, Maze and Thunder and other characters such as Elvira Grey, the Guildmaster and the Archeologist.
1. Boredom

Fable Fanfiction. 

Copyright. I do not own fable or any of these characters, they belong to Lionhead, Big Blue Box and Microsoft Studeos.

Summary: This is a prequal to the XBox game Fable, long before the Hero starts his training at the guild and this story is intended to cover some of the loose ends that is left behind when the game is finished. It is not required to finish the game but it is recommended that the game played from completing the arena quest (Story may contain some spoilers).

Chapter One: Bored

Far away from Bowerstone tucked into the forest lies a cottage, a teenage girl, dressed in a plain purple dress was sitting next to the lake. She was tossing rocks into the lake in her futile attempts to entertain herself.

"I wish I was mayor." The girl sighed. "If only my sister wasn't in my way!" She tossed a rock with additional aggression that made a splash in the lake. Then she noticed a shadow coming from behind her, when the girl looked behind her, whoever was standing behind her wasn't there anymore.

"Elvira, why aren't you studying?" said her elder sister who had just come of age. She is now preparing to succeeed their father after so many years of faithful service as mayor to the Bowerstone people. She is wearing a more decorative blue dress with her hair tied in a bun.

"Why do you want to know that? You know that I won't become mayor." Responded Elvira whith her toungue sharp as a dagger.

"Elvira, I don't like that tone, maybe you shouldn't know about the mayority." her sister counted. "Besides you don't become mayor just because you're the daughter of the mayor, you need to be elected by the people first before you have your inauguration. Come on let's go inside. It's getting dark and I don't want to you to spend the night outside."

Defeated Elvira got up and walked with her sister to the mannor, the mannor is old but well cared for cottage with vines growing on the walls, it is beautifully painted and repainted over the generations of the Grey family and the furniture is highley decorated and comforatble which is noramally afforded by a wealthy family and every weekend their father would come and spend the weekends with his daughters eversince their mother had passed away from sickness in the last winter. Before Elvira entered the manor she looked behind her to see if ther was someone else but she didn't notice anyone else within the area.

After the door to the manor is shut, not far away hiding by the stables a cloaked masked man was watching, his cloack was red as blood with his mask as pale as bone. "Hmmm, I think Elvira will be useful to my cause." The masked man thought out aloud.

Meanwhile, not far from Bowerstone, at the Hero's Guild where the buildings are as old as the old kingdom itself there are two apprentices, a man and a woman who happen to sparring in the melee combat ring, the man is fighting with two swords, one in each hand and the woman is fighting with a axe.

The man swing his swords in attempt to hit the woman but the woman rolled out of the way and counted witha swing of her axe but it was blocked by one of the man's sword. Then the man lifted both his swords and thrust them into the woman, but she rolled out of the way and the swords went straight into the ground. While the man is pulling the swords out of the ground, the woman florished her axe into the man's back hitting him in the back of his shoulder.

"That's enough now." Said the Guildmaster who happen to be refereeing the fight.

"What!? I could've got her if she didn't hit me in the back." Counted the man.

"I can't have you both tearing each other appart, you'd both won't be able to be fit to be heros if you start losing your limbs, you need to train harder Twinblade" Responded the Guildmaster.

Twinblade grunted in defeat, and decide to move to the guild woods to blow of some steam.

"By the way, you fought spledidly, fight like that in the exam, and you'll do well. Well done Scarlet." Commended the Guildmaster.

"Thank you, why is Twinblade so aggressive?" Questioned Scarlet.

"Well you're both almost ready for graduation and it would be normal for every apprentice to get aggressive in attempt to get the highest score possible. Don't worry about it too much, it'll be over when they graduate." Explained the Guildmaster. Then a man dressed in bule/purple robes approached the Guildmaster and Scarlet. "Oh hello Maze. How's your fight in the arena?" Greeted the Guildmaster.

Maze sighed, "I managed to go far as the Rock Troll round within the team round but I got hit by one of those boulders that these trolls throw. But I think could've got to the final round if Jack havn't pushed me right into path of that boulder." Maze explained, still nursing his injuries that he'd sustained from the Rock Trolls.

"Don't worry about it too much Maze, it could've been worse, most heros who don't make it through the arena die in combat. You should be lucky to be alive." Reassured the Guildmaster.

"I guess so, but I don't think Jack of Blades deserve to win the arena." Responded Maze.

"Well, had has happened, happened and can't be undone now, you should know that all heros can choose their own path wether it is for good or evil. Besides I got a new task for you" Said the Guildmaster as he gives Maze his questcard. Maze reads the card then gives a stunned look.

"You want me to become the Guildmaster?" Reacted Maze.

"I can't live forever Maze, even with the power of will it can extend my life for so long" The Guildmaster Responded. "Besides it's rare to have an arena winner but more extremely rare for an arena participant to leave the arena alive without winning."

"I was never aware of that." Admitted Maze. "But it will be an extreme honour to take the quest."

"I'm glad you chose to accept it, before I become guildmaster I didn't win the arena competition either but my Guildmaster was old and he appointed the task to me and I had never had been in peace eversince. You'll like your new job and don't worry you can still embark on personal quests while I'm still around. And you'll get your personal quarters at the guild as well." Said the Guildmaster.

Maze eagerly accepts the new quest and returns to the Guild. Scarlet watched with enthusiasm. "Now I know what I want to do, I want to compete and win in the arena" Said Scarlet.

"Well you better train hard, also you'll need to be nominated just to participate. And winning the arena is not easy, most particiapnts die withing the final rounds" Warned the Guildmaster. "But I'm glad you had set youself a goal but bear in mind,  
before you participate even if you're nominated you have to be sure that you're asbsolutley be prepared and confident." Advised the Guildmaster.

"I will" Replied Scarlet.

"Well now where are we, ah that's right it's now time to teach you archery." Said the Guildmaster.

In the land far far away deep in the jungles, a boy and a man were hunting for food for their village. The man, was getting tired for their hunt was futile and the boy was getting impatient, he only came with his father for he couldn't stant hearing his new born sister crying.

"Dad, when will we find a wild bore? It's been ages since we started hunting"  
Questioned the boy.

"Patients Son, wild boar is not easy to hunt for today before the people of Bowerstone come to our land and nearly hunted them out of existence." Replied his father.

"I wish those Bowerstone people never found our land." Said the Boy.

"Now Thunder, the people of Bowerstone made us stronger, they tought us how to farm,  
allow us to use their fishing rods to catch more fish than ever before and tought us how to make better weapons and we now have less balverine incursions in Knothole Glade than ever before." His father counted.

"Then if that's true then I guess we have better luck fishing." Suggested Thunder.

"Well if we don't find a wild..." Just as Thunder's father was finishing his sentence Thunder and his father hears a buzzing sound. "Thunder! Get down!" His dad commanded.

Thunder quickly hid inside the shrubs and foilage of the jungle, then a hoard of wasps flew towards Thunder's dad. Thunder's dad quckly pulled out his steel longsword and strike the wasps down one after another, then just as he eliminated the wasp hoard, the wasp queen appeared from the forest canopy and successfully struck Thunder's dad from behind, paralysed his father dropped his sword and the Wasp Queen spawned more wasps which constantly stunned his father while he's on the ground.

Thunder can't stand to watch his father die, quickly look through his father's backpack and found a lightning augmentation and then he leaped out of his hiding place and successfully retrieved his father's sword and then he augmented it with the augmentation and now the sword crackled with lightning on it's blade. The wasps and the queen did not pay attention to Thunder while they're finishing off his father , then Thunder swung his father's sword against the wasps. The wasps immediately got fizzled by the lightning enhancement and were eliminated instantly. But that move got the Wasp Queen's attention start to attack Thunder. Thunder quckly dodged the attack and attempt to counter, but the Wasp Queen used her stinger and knocked the sword out of Thunder's hand. Thunder attempt retrieve the sword again but the Wasp Queen had stunned and paralyse his left arm.

Weakened and his left arm paralysed, Thunder was about to give up but then he noticed the sword was just on the other side of a nearby stream and he got an idea. Thunder crawed his way to the stream and roled in order to avoid getting stunned by the Wasp Queen and successfully retreived the word once more, Thunder watched the Wasp Queen and timed her attack. As the Wasp Queen made her attack against Thunder, Thunder dipped the lightning enhanced blade into the stream when the Wasp Queen's Stinger was dipped into the water, the effect was devestating, the lightning passed from the sword went throghth the river and up into the Wasp Queen which had crippled the monster. Thunder quickly took the opportunity and got up with his good arm, he wields his father's sword and his remaining strength, he impaled the Wasp Queen, finishing the job, the Wasp Queen now lies lifeless crisp coarpse.

Thunder Dropped the sword and staggered to his father, who was fatally injured, with so much wasp venom in his veins he bearly remains concious. However there were two traders who happen to be on thier way to Knothole Glade that Thunder and his father did not noticed whey they were observing the fight and now the fight is over they both went to their aid.

"Oh my, are you alright young lad?" One of the traders asked Thunder.

"Oh dear, the man doesn't look good, we better get him to town right away." The other trader said.

Thunder unable speak for all the grief that the Wasp Queen had caused shooked his head in response.

"Well that was extremely impressive for defeating the Wasp Queen, we both won't stand a chance if you're not there" Commended the first trader.

"Yeah, you're a hero! Come on let's collect your first trophy and you equipment and take you both to town" Followed by the second trader.

The Traders had cut off the head of the Wasp Queen's coarpse, collected Thunder and his father's equipment and carried Thunder and his dad back to Knothole Glade.

In the meantime in Bowerstone South where not so privileged people lived and worked in, there was a girl who has no parents usually sneaks around people and snatches their purses for a living. She didn't want to live this way but it was necessary for her to survive. She had just exausted her last victim's money and now she had to snatch another purse. However there were more guards on duty now since she has been doing this for months now and she knows that she have little chance to survive in the wilderness. But she must survive.

The girl set out to find another victim and it's nearly evening so everyone is at the tavern and the Guards are not usually there. So the girl went into the tavern and searched for someone drunk or better passed out aslo she knows she must not be seen for children are not allowed in the tavern. But that was the easy part, she managed to avoid being seen and snuck around the patrons and finally she managed to find a drunk man who's bragging about his newly wed wife. The girl snuck around the tavern and got in arms reach of the drunk man's purse. The girl then cut the purse from the man's belt and start sneaking out of the tavern but a local Bard noticed that man's purse is missing.

"People of Bowerstone beware, we have a thief in our mists." The Bard announces.

"Drat!" The girl thought, they know that the purse is missing and all the patrons start looking around in attempt to identify the thief. But it didn't take long for a maid to spot the girl holding the recently stolen purse who is attempting to leave the tavern.

"There she is! Over there! Guards! Guards!" The maid shouted. It wasn't the girl's lucky day and the maid is pointing right at her.

The girl knows she's cought and attempt to to make a run for it, but it wasn't long before the guards spotted her and start chasing her. The girl decides to make her way to the dock where there's lots of hiding spots and if worse comes to worst she can swim away if she have to for she rather be in the wilderness than doing time in bargate prison. But no luck, there was a pair of guards at the harbour entrance and there were guards coming from behind her and more guards coming from behind the barber and the school. The girl knows there's no where to run now and surrenders to the guards.

The next morning the girl wakes up, she had spent the night in Bowerstone Jail and there was bread and water set for her breakfast. She ate and drank what little food that was provided and then a guard approached her.

"Well what do we have here?" The guard mused at the girl. "I guess the mystery of the purse snatcher has been solved." The guard continued.

"What do you want?" The girl responded.

"Well I had been ordered to escort you to the mayor's office, I think he'd taken interest in you." The guard answered.

"Am I going to Bargate Prison?" The girl questioned.

"That's for the mayor to decide, if it was up to me you're already be on your way as we speak." The guard asnwered.

The girl decide to allow the guard to escort her but after the guard open the cell door.

"Don't try to escape if you do you're be on your way to Bargate Prison, is that clear." The guard warned.

"Clear" The girl acknowledged.

The guard escorts the girl to the mayor's hall in North Bowerstone where she is admitted in then she sees an middle-aged man, well dressed who is sitting behind his desk signing some papers.

"Young Lady, this is Mayor Grey. And you better show him respect." The guard coldly introduced Mayor Grey to the girl.

"You are dismissed now. You can wait outside." The mayor said at the Guard and the Guard follows the Mayor's order and leaves the girl with Mayor Grey.

"So what is your name young Lady?" The Mayor asked.

"Blair, Blair Rose." Blair answers.

"You know I called you here?" Mayor Grey continued.

"No. I don't Know." Blair replies.

"Well let me explain, after you'd been arrested I had studied your work for the past few months. You have talent, a normal purse snatcher would've been caught a lot earlier. So I think it would be a shame if your talent gets wasted. So instead of being sentenced to Bargate Prison, you can be admitted into the Hero's Guild." The Mayor explained.

Blair Rose dropped her jaw at the unusual opportunity that Mayor Grey was presenting.

"You want me to go to the Hero's Guild?" Blair asked.

"It's up to you to decide, you're too young to go to Bargate Prison and the offences you committed is punishable for years in there, but I'm offering you a second chance if you choose to accept it." The Mayor said.

"Okay I'll join the Hero's Guild" Blair replies. Bliar knows that being in the Hero's Guild is better than surviving in the wilderness and Bargate Prison and not just that she'll be fed and looked after while she trains there.

"Good, then I'll make the arrangements with the Guild Master, you'll will refer to him for now on. Also, until your training is complete you're not permitted to leave the Guild in any circumstance since you're be on probation. Is that clear?" Mayor Grey orders.

"Yes Mayor Grey" Blair Rose

"Good then I'll make the arrangements immediately, you'll be escorted to the guild, it's not far from here." Mayor Grey said proudly knowing that Blair Rose will reform into a Hero.

End of Chapter 1


	2. Graduation

Fable Fanfiction.

Copyright. I do not own fable or any of these characters, they belong to Lionhead, Big Blue Box and Microsoft Studeos.

Summary: This is a prequal to the XBox game Fable, long before the Hero starts his training at the guild and this story is intended to cover some of the loose ends that is left behind when the game is finished. It is not required to finish the game but it is recommended that the game played from completing the arena quest (Story may contain some spoilers).

Author's Note: Thanks for the positive feedback :-). As the story progresses the plot will get deeper.

Chapter 2: Graduation

It was the next morning at the Hero's Guild, Scarlet Robe and Twinblade are having thier breakfast in the dining hall and they both constantly watch each other for any unexpected behaviour. Then Scarlet noticed Maze dining at the other end of the hall after Scarlet had finished her breakfast she decided to speak to him.

"Um, Hi Maze." Greeted Scarlet.

"Ah, you must be Scarlet Robe, are you ready for your exam?" Enquired Maze.

Scarlet hesitated, she knew she can fight well and quite keen with the way of the will although she prefere to stay away from archery. "I don't know. I can fight well but I don't know what the exxam is." Scarlet answers. 

"Well, you should be okay then. And don't worry about Twinblade you won't be fighting him in the exam." Said Maze.

"Well that's a relief, he looks like he's gonna dice up anyone with the look he's giving.  
Besides what is it like being a hero, I always wanted to participate in the Arena." Scarlet enquired.

"Hmmm, Being a hero is not a easy life, but depending on your renown, you'll doing a viarity of quests. Also you can choose what path you want to tread. As for the arena you must be nominated in order to participate and if you on the team rounds, make sure you watch your partner as well, for there can only be one winner in the Arena." Responds Maze.

"Thanks, I guess I'll warm up now". Said Scarlet then she left for the Mellee training grounds.

Meanwhile not far from the Hero's guild, Blair Rose wsa escorted to the Hero's guild when she saw the guild she awed in it's glory for this is her new home now and then she also noticed a boy about her age with a strong man beside him. The the Guild doors open atmiting the Guildmaster.

"Ah, I see now apprentices have arrived. Welcometo both of you" The Guild master greeted.  
"And it's good to see you again Cheif. How is Knothole Glade going?" Enquired the Guildmaster.

"The town is doing fine Guildmaster, this boy here is the one who had saved his father for the Wasp Queen." Responded the chief.

Blair gasped at the news about the boy's heroic act, definetly he's hero material and he'll be tough competition.

"Impressive! He's definitely able to do well here, I'm glad you brought him here." Responded the Guildmaster. "Now What are the names of these young apprentices?" Asked the Guildmaster.

"She is Blair Rose, brought here as per agreement from Mayor Grey." The Guard answers.

"The Boy's name here is THunder." Said the Chief proudly.

"Hmmm, I heard of you Blair may I remind you that you'll be watched for a while until we can have faith that you are reformed. But I'm happy to accpet you in the guild, I know that Mayor Grey's faith is well placed. And Thunder, this place is definitely for you and congradulations on defeating the wasp queen. Let's get you both prepared you both had arrived on a great day for you'll get to see two of our apprentices are participating in their exams.  
But I like to ask you both to keep quiet while the exam is in progress." said the Guildmaster.

"Good, am I'm dismissed?" Asked the Guard.

"Oh yes, you can go now, tell Mayor Grey that Blair won't be any trouble here." Answerd the Guildmaster.

"Yes sir." Said the Guard, then he turns away and returns to Bowerstone.

"Oh chief, if my knowledge is right wasps are not normally found on Witchwood island. Is there any suspecious activities that you might be aware of?" Questioned the GUildmaster.

"Well the traders had reported a straged cloacked man at the focus site, they don't know what he's doing there, when I checked all I found was a empty cage. I don't know though but the traders mentioned his cloawas red as blood." Answered the Chief.

"Hmmm, that is strange indeed, these focus sites are one of the few remains of the old kingdom"  
The Guildmaster mused.

"Yes, strange indeed, well I must return to Knothole Glade now and check on Thunder's family.  
Good seeing you again Guildmaster." said the cheif and he left Thunder to the guildmaster.

The Guildmaster turned on to Thunder and Blair Rose. "Well the exams about to start, I know a good place for you to watch". said the Guildmaster.

Meanwhile, far from the Hero's Guild deep in the forests of Oakvale where a manor stood, Elvira decided to ride to Oakvale for some entertainment she entered the stables, secured a sadle and reins on her horse and as she was about to mount on her horse sh noticed a black rose lying next to the horse's brush. Elvira was enticed by the dark rose's beauty. She picked up the rose and tied in her hair for decoration and she starts her journy to Oakvale.

Not long after Elvira got to Barrow Fields, she pull the reins to stop her horse where a man with a red cloak, red as blood and wearing a bone mask. The man stared at Elvira, then he finally spoke to her.

"Ah hello pretty girl." Said the man.

"Hello yourself" Replied Elvira.

The man liked her attitude and responded. "I heard you want to be Mayor of Bowerstone."

"How did you know that? I'm rarely seen by anyone at all except for my selfish sister"  
Snapped Elvira.

"That's terriable, all couped up in that manor." The man continued

"It's not a manor , it's a dump, there's nothing to do there and if you can excuse me I'm going for some entertainment." Elvira said.

"Before you leave, I can provide you some excitement, you see here I have a message for your father, if you see him, can you give it to him?" THe man asked.

For a long time, Elvira was tempted by the man's request, then she decides to accept the stranger's request.

"Okay, I'll take the message." Elvira said.

"Good, here is the message, oh can I have the honour of knowing your name?" The stranger asked as he gives the envelope to Elvira.

"Elvira, Lady Elvira Grey. Besides what's your name? I know your from the Hero's Guild." Elvira said as she accepts the letter.

"All in good time Elvira. And for the Hero's Guild yes I'm from the Guild I had just recently been to the arena." The man answered.

"Well, I heard from my sister that you won but she didn't tell me your name." Elvira said as she starts to flirt.

"I did, but I must go now, but we'll meet again, Lady Grey. Hmmm, I think the title suits you." Said the man.

"Well just before you leave..." Before Elvira continues to flirt with the man in the blood red robe, the man turned and left via a old cullus gate.

"I have a feeling we will." Elvira thought.

Back at the Hero's Guild Twinblade was finishing his exam and Scarlet Robe had completed her exam with distinction. Twinblade is sparring with Maze, Twinblade was doing well in Melee skills , with both swords he was able to get through Maze's defence, but the hard part was about to come.

"Well done, now lets test your ranged combat abilites. But don't get too close." Maze instructed.

Twinblade seathed his swords and pulled out his throwing knives with one knife in each hand. Maze began teleporting from one area to another. Everywhere where Maze teleports, Twinblade throws one of his throwing knives with deadly accuracy and Maze successfully devlects each knife with his staff until one of knifes almost hit him.

"Excellent, you passed the test, meet with the guildmaster before you leave. But be warned not all fights are that easy." Warned Mazed.

Twinblade chuckled at the warning but he always love a challenge but the Guildmaster knows that would get him in big trouble one day. For Scarlet she was more cautious but she's willing to fight a good fight which will bring trouble to her as well, but now they had passed and now it's time for their graduation.

Deep inside the Hero's Guild Blair, Thunder were lead to a special chamber where all the hero apprentices have gathered. They both awed at the graduates that will receive their guild symbols.

"May the Graduates approach." Announce the Guildmaster.

Scarlet Robe and Twinblade marched down the isle amongst the other apprentices who are observing the ceromony and they both approach the Guildmaster with pride.

"As this time forth you are no longer apprentices but now heros. You had both went far from your first days as apprentices. For there are many challenges and adventures that await you with rewards to come. Take your guild seals and approach the world forth as Heros" The Guildmaster announced,  
then he hands over the guild seals to Scarlet Robe and Twinblade and the apprentices who observered cheered. End of Chapter 2 


End file.
